This invention relates generally to orthopedic devices and, more particularly, to an improved tool for facilitating the application of elastic or support stockings to an individual's leg.
Many individuals with circulatory disorders must wear tight-fitting hosiery or stockings to provide constrictive force to their feet and lower legs, thereby reducing the pooling of fluids. Due to the strongly elastic nature of these stockings, many persons find it difficult to exert the force needed to apply the stockings. In addition, many of these individuals lack the necessary flexibility to bend their legs or torso to the degree needed to apply support stockings or, for that matter, even ordinary socks.
To assist these individuals, applicant previously devised the tool of U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,720 (the '720 patent), which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. The tool of the '720 patent includes a pair of side rails connected to handles and mounted for lateral movement between a closed position, wherein the rails are held together for receiving a stocking, and an open position, wherein the rails outwardly stretch the stocking for placement over the foot and leg of the user. An independently laterally movable tongue is secured to the tool at a position above the side rails also to receive the stocking. The tongue of the tool of the '720 patent is not adapted to move inwardly toward the side rails in the closed position, thus requiring that the stocking be initially stretched over the tongue by the user. While applicant's '720 tool functioned and continues to function extremely well for many individuals, some users may find the necessary initial stretching of the stocking inconvenient.